36 Decrease of Birds 



well-fed cat and the well-cared-for dog take their toll of 

 bird life, to say nothing of the inJAiry done by the count- 

 less numbers of homeless cats and half-starved, half-breed 

 dogs which overrun the country. 



The reports show that the destruction is great to ground 

 nesting birds, the noble Bobwhite being the chief suf- 

 ferer. The following varieties of dogs are mentioned as 

 doing the harm: Bird dogs, half-breed pointers and set- 

 ters, roaming dogs, curs, hounds, mongrels, the "yaller 

 dog", half -fed curs, half-breed dogs, half -starved curs of 

 bird dog mixture, stray dogs, loose curs, half -starved 

 hounds, etc. Most of these except bird dogs are spoken 

 of as ' 'belonging mostly to negroes and irresponsible par- 

 ties, living off the country and generally escaping tax- 

 ation." Mr. Patrick Wall of Beaufort estimates that they 

 do 20% of the injury. He writes: "These dogs belong to 

 negroes who do not feed them. They break down our 

 corn and eat it from the time it is in the mutton until it is 

 harvested." 



Mr. E. C. Epps, Williamsburg, says: "It is impossible 

 even to estimate this loss." Mr. J. H. Steele, York, 

 says: "The negro and his dog do more damage to birds than 

 natural enemies, both in a direct and an indirect way." 

 Mr. C. W. Boykin, Williamsburg, reports: "Yellow dogs 

 and starved out negroes' dogs are very destructive to the 

 nests and young of birds." Mr. L. W. Boykin, Kershaw, 

 believes: "50% of the destruction to Bobwhites is done 

 by stray or half-breed dogs belonging to negroes. They 

 have a good chance to break up nests on account of the 

 scarcity of cover." 



Mr. B. D. Dargan, Florence, writes: "Considerable 

 destruction is done by poorly fed and half-breed dogs 

 which have to get their living the best they can." Mr. E. 

 M. Andrews, Darlington, writes: "Fifty per cent of 

 destruction is done by bird dogs- loping around in spring 

 and summer." Dr. L. B. Bates, Calhoun, reports: "Very 

 great destruction is done as negroes own a great many 

 dogs which have to hunt for their living. Not only bird 

 dogs but all kinds of dogs do this destructive work." Mr. 



